Many people have personal information that they need to retain for future access. Additionally, many of these people desire to keep the personal information secret. Moreover, it is often desirable to keep this information at a secure and remote location.
The Internet is becoming a very easily accessible medium via the use of a desktop computer device, a lap top computer device, and/or handheld device. These devices may be wirelessly connected to the Internet. This gives the public a historically unprecedented access to and use of the resources of the Internet.
With this mind, a number of businesses have established online sites accessible via the Internet for backing up data on their computer. Because, the information is on the Internet, it is easily accessible to the user whenever and wherever they need to access it.
The prior art way for the user to gain access to their information in the online sites on the Internet typically includes two steps. The first step involves entering an identification character string, e.g. a user name, into the computer system. The identification character string is used to identify the user to the computer system. The second step involves entering a verification character string, e.g. a password. The verification character string is used to verify the identity of the user to the computer system.
Additionally, in order to take advantage of the increased Internet usage, many service merchants have established virtual services that can be accessed on the Internet. Some examples of such virtual services are completing loan applications, getting insurance quotes and completing tax forms.
A typical Internet service transaction involves (i) the customer browsing the virtual store of a particular service merchant, (ii) the customer providing personal information to the service merchant, and (iv) the service merchant providing the service. The personal information provided by the customer typically includes at least the name, address, and e-mail address of the customer. Further, the personal information provided to the service merchant can include credit card information of the customer and other personal information relevant to the service. With this information, the merchant provides the service and may charge the credit card of the customer and deliver the service results to the customer by e-mail.
Many times the service merchant collects the personal information of the customer and distributes the personal information to the actual service providers. For example, the customer may forward a mortgage loan application to a web service merchant. Subsequently, the web service merchant distributes the mortgage loan application to many different mortgage lenders to get multiple quotes on loans. Next, the quotes are forwarded to the customer to make a final selection.
Unfortunately, with this approach, even though the customer may select only one lender to enter into a contractual relationship, the personal and private information of the customer may have been distributed and copied into the databases of many lenders and the service merchant.
Many customers and/or potential customers are concerned that the personal information provided to the service merchants may not be secure. Stated another way, many customers and potential customers are concerned that their personal information may be misused by the merchant, disseminated by the merchant, and/or improperly accessed by third parties. In fact, many potential customers do not enter into service transaction(s) over the Internet because of the concern for the misuse and/or dissemination of their personal information by the service merchant.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for protecting the privacy of a customer during an online service transaction. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for facilitating anonymous service transactions on the Internet. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for minimizing the likelihood of the improper dissemination of the personal information of a customer. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for keeping private information in a remote information system.